Alterations in gastrointestinal microbial communities have been linked to human disease. Most studies use fecal samples as a proxy for the intestinal microbiota; however, the fecal microbiome is not fully representative of the mucosa-associated microbiota at the site of disease. While mucosal biopsies can be used instead, they often contain a high proportion of host DNA that can confound 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing studies.
